


Atonement

by julienwrites



Category: House M.D.
Genre: Blood, Concussions, Hurt Robert Chase, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Religious Abuse, Religious Content, Torture, Whump, Whumptober
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26756026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julienwrites/pseuds/julienwrites
Summary: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you, ” Jacob's voice is quiet now.Chase’s stomach plummets, ice running through his veins. That’s bible scripture, 1st Peter, his mind supplies before he even fully comprehends. Jacob Everett is gone, walking out the door before Chase thinks of anything to say. - Warnings Inside!
Relationships: Robert Chase/Greg House
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Atonement

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the prompt 'Lets Hang Out' in the Whumptober Prompt Challenge. 
> 
> Warning! This story includes religious abuse, torture, kidnapping, blood and violence. Scripture is used as a catalyst for torture. Do not read if triggering!!

Before he’s even fully awake, Chase feels a pounding in his head, nausea rolling in his stomach. He goes to move, to turn over in bed and curl up against House, but he can’t. Eyes snapping open, he’s very suddenly aware of the straps that are holding his wrists and ankles tight. Swallowing thickly, Chase glances around the dark room, trying to take stock of what’s around. He’s on a bed, metal with a barely-there mattress. His head gives a throb as his eyes swivel around, seeing nothing else. Heartbeat quickening, he forces himself to take a breath and think. 

The last thing he remembers is driving home from work, but can’t figure out what’s happened since. Chase’s mind wanders to House, hopeful he realizes somethings happened, but his thoughts are interrupted by a large man bursting into the room, flipping the lights on. His head gives another painful throb, he swallows down nausea. 

“Robert Chase,” the man growls. His muscles showing through his white shirt, veins in his neck visible. He steps up close, a knife in his hand. Chase’s heart beats a little faster at the metal. “You are the man who let my daughter  _ die _ .” And Chase, trying to remember who this man is through the foggy haze of what he’s sure is a concussion, is suddenly transported back to the young girl with sudden symptoms, coughing up blood, oxygen plummeting. 

“Mr.Evere-“ 

Chase is cut off by a swift, hard punch to his stomach, making him suck in his breath at the intense pain. He steels himself, squeezing his eyes briefly before glaring again, looking at the man. 

“You and your team stood by and watched her as she died, you didn’t even  _ try _ to help!” The man's face is red now, voice loud. Chase’s head gives another throb. “You ruined my life. You took my little girl away from me, and now you’re going to regret it.” The knife in Jacob Everett’s hand moves closer to Chase. 

Struggling against the cuffs, the doctors whole body goes rigid in anticipation, biting his lip as the knife knicks his jaw, a small cut appearing. “ _ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you _ , ” Jacob's voice is quiet now. 

Chase’s stomach plummets, ice running through his veins. That’s bible scripture, _1st_ _Peter_ , his mind supplies before he even fully comprehends. Jacob Everett is gone, walking out the door before Chase thinks of anything to say. 

+++

“I’ve tried his cell over twenty times,” Foreman says as House walks in, looking worried. It’s unsettling to say the least, House showing any emotion that could be referred to as caring. Cameron rubs her eyes, looking as if she’s been crying. 

“I’ve called the police, they should be here soon…” 

“He’s not at his apartment. He’s not anywhere he usually is,” House’s voice is toneless, and anyone hearing might think he’s given up, but they know. They know it’s his way of not breaking down. 

“We’ll find him,” Wilson assures, pacing back and forth as Cuddy stands at the coffee machine, waiting for the liquid to heat. “He’s not just disappeared.” 

All House can think of is his blonde colleague. Of his boyfriend. Chase had left later than House had, saying something about wanting to finish up some paperwork, and he’d merely kissed his cheek and nodded, limping out. If he’d known that- House stops himself. Chase is alive. He’s not dead somewhere. He can’t be. Swallowing, House looks up and sees Cuddy drinking out of a red mug.  _ His _ mug. Anger flares suddenly and he’s up in three seconds flat, grabbing it from here, hot coffee splashing onto the carpet. 

“That’s  _ his _ mug, you don’t get to use it!” The anger in his voice is so strong everyone freezes. His knuckles are white as he grips onto it, burning his fingers. He slams it down onto the glass table, somehow not shattering it. 

“I’ll grab a different one.” 

House is grateful she hasn’t apologized. 

“We’ll find him,” Wilson says, a hand on his best friends shoulder. “We  _ will _ .” 

For the first time ever, House has an urge to pray. 

+++

Chase wakes up feeling woozy, like he’s been drugged. Blinking, he soon realizes that’s exactly what’s happened- now sitting backwards in a chair, ankles bound to the legs, arms pulled forward, around the back of the chair, wrists tied with thick rope. His shirt has been taken off, leaving his back and torso exposed. Looking around, the doctor sees Jacob walking out from the corner. 

“You will atone for your sins, Robert,” Jacob glares, and even the cold sinking feeling in his stomach feels sluggish, like it’s trying to fully comprehend what’s about to happen. With something in his hand, Jacob walks behind him, tutting like a parent disappointed in their child’s report card. There’s a loud crack of noise, and then blinding pain. It’s agonizing, and Chase isn’t aware that the scream he hears is coming from his own mouth. 

“ _ Then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence _ …” Jacob recites before once again letting the thick leather rope hit Chase’s freckles skin. 

“P-Please…” Chase chokes out, his mind spinning, only able to focus on the pain. He’s nauseous and dizzy, both from the drugs in his system and the pain of the whip. Another crack, more pain. Tears run down his face. “You don’t ha-have to d-do this…” 

“I do. You must understand the sin you’ve committed. You must pay for it,” Jacob says, suddenly close to his ear. Chase jerks slightly, breath stuttering. “Three will do for now, as it is a Godly number.” 

“Why are you doing this?” The australian’s voice is shaking, thick with tears and pain. 

“God has instructed me to show you the error of your ways,” the man replies, walking back to face him. Chase looks at him, his face a mess of tears and snot.

“ _ God _ wouldn’t condone this. This isn’t loving thy neighbor,” he says, venom lacing his tone. Jacob suddenly stands taller, anger flowing from him in waves. Chase realizes it’s the wrong thing to have said, and not a second later he’s being slapped hard across the face, enough that he can feel the metallic taste of blood.

“ _ Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. _ ” 

The words make Chase struggle against the rope, make him feel panicked, and he hopes House is coming. That anyone is coming. The drugs he’s been given are wearing off slowly, though it’s no use, trying to do much of anything against the bindings. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, Jacob is gone. 

+++

“Play that back,” the dark haired cop, Antonio, says suddenly, as he, the Chief of the police, House, Wilson and Cuddy all stand in the small security room. They’ve been watching security footage for hours, feeling as though it’s a blind trail, but House suddenly feels hopeful when the man speaks, tone brighter than it has been in an hour. 

They all watch with bated breath, and as they see the scene, House suddenly knows what Antonio’s watching. Chase’s car is pulling out of the lot, and an old, white sedan is suddenly close to his, too close. “Zoom in and get the license plate number!” House doesn’t mean to bark the words, but they have to find Chase. This is the closest thing they’ve gotten all night. 

The Chief, Voight, does just that, and Antonio’s texting the letters and numbers seconds later to someone, House assumes, is at the station, ready to help. Ten long minutes later, all waiting silently, a ping sounds from the officers phone, and everyone’s eyes connect with it. 

“Looks like it’s to a Jacob Everett,” Antonio announces. “Mean anything to you?” He asks the group, and House knows instantly that this is bad. 

“Patients father, two weeks ago. Daughter died,” he sounds far off to himself, like he’s underwater. 

“Get the address and lets go,” Voights voice is harsh and demanding, already standing up and grabbing his jacket. 

“I’m coming.” House says, voice harder and more resolute than it has been for years. Since his leg surgery. 

+++

“ _ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps….” _

He can’t breathe. He can’t think. Everything hurts. It’s too much. 

Aware he’s got a concussion, aware he has at least two broken ribs and a possible infection from the lacerations on his back. For the first time, Chase is sure he’s going to die. He’s guessing he’s been there at least 24 hours, probably longer. The bit of water Jacob had forced down his throat hours ago had come back up an hour later. He’s dehydrated and exhausted, scared to fall asleep, though his body has no control over it anymore. Letting out a tiny sob, he tries to forget Jacob is watching him. 

“O-Our father, who are in Heaven, hallowed be your name…” he chokes out, barely a whisper. “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven…” 

Jacob comes closer, narrowing his eyes. “Your praying is false!” 

“G-Give us this day, our daily brea-“ 

Chase’s head is slammed against the wall, a reverberating crack ringing in his skull. “-d, and forgive us o-our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” 

“You will be condemned, Robert Chase. You will live burning in hell for the rest of eternity,” Jacob sneers, kicking the chair down onto the ground. Chase lets out a small noise, but continues, desperately trying to block everything out. 

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…” Distantly, Chase hears sirens, but they’re far off and he feels tired, he must be imagining things. “For thine is the power, and the kingdom, and the glory…” 

His head is slammed into wall again, and everything grows fuzzy, like a movie is fading out. “Amen.” 

+++

“-ase? Chase, come on, there we go, you can do it…” 

Chase groans, light hitting his eyes even though they’re closed. Everything hurts, and his head feels like it’s splitting in two. He’s not aware he’s moving or vomiting, bile hitting an emesis basin. His chest and torso scream in protest at the sudden movement. The pain overtakes him and soon he’s drifting back out. 

His eyes flutter open hours later, head still pounding. He’s aware his back is burning, his torso in agony. Chase sees House and the rest of the team talking, Wilson and Cuddy too. They’re all outside of the room, and look as though they’ve not slept in days. Cameron’s been crying, he notices immediately, Cuddy too. House looks dead on his feet, as he glances in, then suddenly all talking ceases and House is next to him, faster than Chase thought possible for a man with a cane. It makes him dizzy. 

“Chase…” House’s voice is broken and rough. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” A hand touches his leg, and Chase, sluggish and hazy, blinks. “How are you feeling?” 

Looking at his boyfriend, Chase opens his mouth, but it takes a moment for words to form. “....tired. I...w-what…m’sorry...” he’s confused and can’t remember much, he remembers the dark, he remembers pain. He remembers 1st Peter 10 being spoken. It all floods back after that, and his body is shaking on its own accord, trembling as he struggles to breath. 

“Calm down Chase, it’s okay…you’re okay, he’s gone. He’s in jail,” House says, grabbing his hand and squeezing it gently. He’s in jail. He can’t hurt him. He’s gone. Chase nods, though he doesn’t fully understand, eyes closing again, exhaustion winning once again. 


End file.
